Rubber-dam holder.



No. 702,394. Patented June 17, I902.

' E N. BEALL.

RUBBER DAM Homer (Application flle'd Mar. 27, 1 902.

(No Model.)

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I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND N. BEALL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

RUBBER-DAM HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,394, dated June 17,1902.

Application filed March .2'7 1902. Serial No. 100,248, (No model.)

resident of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Dam-Holders, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to dam-holders, and has for its principal objectsto make the holder sanitary, to facilitate its use, to expose the teethto better advantage, and to secure other advantages hereinafter stated.

It consists in the body portion provided with hooks adapted to engageand be supported by the ends of the mouth. It also consists in the partsand in the'arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, andwherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,Figure1 isa perspective view of my holder. Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof withthe dam shown in operative position in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is an edgeview thereof. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a modification, and Fig. 5is a detail ofthe hook arranged to slide on the .frame.

My device comprises a skeleton frame 1, which constitutes a support forhooks 2. These hooks are mounted on opposite sides of said frame andconsist of reversely-turned pieces, which extend from their point ofmounting toward each other, respectively, and are thence bent sidewiseand then backwardly, terminating in rounded enlargements 3. These hooksare designed to be inserted at the ends of the mouth for the doublepurpose of distending the mouth and constituting means for securing theframe in position. For this purpose it is preferable to make said frameof two semicircular pieces hinged together at the top, as shown in Fig.1, or to make the frame of a single circular strip of resilientmaterial, as shown in Fig. 4. In either case the parts are soproportioned that the bonds of the respective loops are slightly fartherapart than the width of the mouth. In case the frame is not resilientthe side of the mouth must be stretched over the ends of the loops,whereas in the case of the sectional or resilient frame the hooks arefirst inserted into the mouth and then separated therein. The frame 1 isalso provided with studs or other fastening device formed in anysuitable manner, the purpose of said fastening device being to engageand hold the sheet of rubber which constitutes the dam.

' In the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the hooks are mounted onbands or tubes arranged to slide on the frame, such bands or tubes beingprovided with such screws 5 for binding the same agaihst the frame atany desired point. The overlapping ends of the body portion are equippedwith a frictionband 6, adapted to bind and lock them in any adjustedposition.

In use the two hooks 2 are inserted into the mouth, so as to distend theends thereof. In this position the hooks hold the frame in positionentirely surrounding the mouth, and thevrubber dam is then secured tothe fastening devices on the holder and the dam is then ready to performits usual function.

Obviously divers changes may be made in the construction of my device,and I do not wish to restrict myself to the details hereinbefore setforth-as, for instance, the hooks may be made adjustable and of anysuitable shape, and, if desired, more than two hooks may be employed onsaid frame.

What I claim is 1. A dam-holder comprising a body portion having hooksthereon adapted to engage the mouth, substantially as described.

2. A dam-holder comprising a body portion having adjustable hooksthereon adapted to engage the mouth, substantially as described. i 3. Adam-holder comprising a flexible body portion having hooks thereon forengaging the mouth, substantially as described.

4. A dam-holder comprising a body portion having fastening devices forholding a rubber dam and also having hooks thereon adapted to hold saidbody portion in position, substantially as described.

5. A dam-holder comprising a body portion and hooks thereon adapted toengage the month, said body portion being arranged to Vary the distancebetween said hooks, substantially as described.

6. A dam-holder comprising a body portion and hooks thereon adapted toengage the month, said body portion being arranged to mouth, and studson said body pontion for vary the distance between said hooks, and aengaging the dam, substantially as described.

device for lockin said body portion as desired, substantiali y asdescribed. EDMUND BEALL' 5 7. Adam-holder comprisingabodyportion, Inpresence of hooks adjustably secured on said body por- WILLIAM P. CARR,

tion and adapted to engage the ends of the ZOLA TUCKER.

